Metallic nanoparticles have generated significant scientific and technological interest due to their unusual optical properties, as well as their novel chemical and catalytic properties. Nonspherical particles, and in particular anisotropic particles, are of major interest because they allow investigation of how shape affects the physical and chemical properties of such structures. A variety of shapes, including stars, cubes, rods, discs, and prisms, have been fabricated, and their properties have been preliminarily characterized. Hollow nanoparticles are an interesting emerging class of materials that will help to better understand the structure-property relationship in nanoparticles.
Although a significant amount of work has been done in developing synthetic methods for hollow spheres, cubes, and rods, little has been done with triangular nanostructures. In copending patent application (Publication No. 20030136223) the current inventors disclosed a novel process in which silver nanospheres were converted, via a photomediated reaction, to larger silver nanoprisms. Xia and coworkers have demonstrated the production of hollow forms of cubes and rods, but have not disclosed a method of making frames from nanoprisms.
Thus, there remains a need for a method of generating triangular nanoframes. Preferably, the method would be operative on nanoprisms formed by known methods and applicable in a face-selective manner allowing the generation of triangular two-component nanostructures with filled or partially-filled cores.